THE BEGINNING OF ANIMISM 



HIS VENERATION FOR STONES AND TREES 



IN Benin, wooden images are sacred to some river 

 spirits, such as Ovia, Ovatu, Ibwili, and Erede ; while 

 stones are found in the groves of the spirits of the 

 Rivers Okwhai, Olokun, Ake, Okbi, Okunwan, 

 Akwiaon, Okwa, and Ogha. All wooden figures 

 representing their ancestors are called by the people 

 Elimi or Enimi. 



Men of science take us back to electrons in the 

 kingdom of matter, to protophyta in the vegetable 

 kingdom, and to protozoa in the animal. Life is 

 evident in the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and 

 men of science now tell us that the mineral kingdom 

 may also be living matter. It is no use our talking to 

 the uneducated native of Africa about electrons, proto- 

 phyta, or protozoa ; but, when we tell him that stones 

 and trees, as well as animals, have life in them, he 

 looks upon us with a certain amount of compassion, as 

 if to say : " Have you just found that out ? I have 

 been trying for centuries to tell you this, but you have 

 told me that my belief is simply superstitious." Yes, 

 subconsciously, the so-called savage or primitive man 

 has for a long time believed implicitly in the truth of 



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